Storm-Water

Retention Ponds
in Our Neighborhoods





















Written by: Matt Wagner
2 August 2014


A basic look at pond components protecting our waterways
1





The purpose of this document is to provide the general public with a description of storm-water
retention ponds in a residential setting. Many residents of new neighborhoods may have
noticed a man-made pond near their home. Those who attend municipality meetings may hear
proposals for land developments, including retention ponds. This document will cover the
components and characteristics of retention ponds to shed light on why they are needed and
how they function. Physical dimensions and design constraints will be limited as they often vary
between municipalities. The retention pond structure is very similar to the detention pond,
another common residential feature, so the two will be contrasted to clarify the difference.



A storm-water retention pond is a man- Figure 1: Neighborhood Storm-Water
made permanent pool built to manage Retention Pond
storm-water runoff and prevent
downstream erosion and flooding. When
it rains, some of the water soaks into the
soil (infiltration). However, when rain falls
faster than the soil can absorb it, that
water flows across the earths surface.
This is called storm-water runoff and
naturally leads to the formation of
streams and rivers. When roads and
houses are constructed, impermeable
surfaces are created. At these surfaces,
water cannot be infiltrated into the earth, Source: Beaumont Ridge. beaumontridge.com
and nearly 100% of the rain falling here
becomes storm-water runoff. The result is an increased storm-water runoff flow rate
1
. Across a
development, neighborhood, or community, these flows add up and lead to soil erosion and
flooding events downstream. Storm-water retention ponds are a way to attenuate
2
the flow rate
of storm-water runoff to prevent erosion and flooding from happening.










1
A flow rate is a measure of volume per unit of time. Increased flow rate means more volume over the same time.
2
To attenuate storm-water runoff is to reduce the current flow rate to the flow rate that used to exist naturally.
Introduction
Audience and Scope
2



A storm-water pond has three main Figure 2: Retention Pond Features
features:

1.) The Inlet
2.) The Pond
3.) The Outlet




Source: Bright Hub Engineering. brighthubengineering.com



After developing an area with impermeable surfaces, storm-water runoff must first be collected
and transported to the storm-water retention pond. The point where collected runoff is
introduced to the pond is called the inlet. Inlets exist in two major forms.

Channel Inlet: The earth is graded
3
to Figure 3: Retention Pond Inlets
direct water into a channel. Water
flows downhill in the channel,
emptying into the retention pond as
seen at the lower left corner of
Figure 3.

Pipe Inlet: Paved areas are graded to
direct flow into storm drains. The
storm drains are linked with an
underground piping network that
ultimately empties into the retention
pond as seen at the upper right corner
of Figure 3.

Whether the flow enters through an
earthen channel or storm-water pipe, a
rock lining is needed where the inlet
meets the pond. This rock lining slows
down the water entering the pond so
that it does not cause erosion in the
pond itself. Source: J & D Civil Engineers. jdcivilengineers.com



3
Grading is the process of raising or lowering a surface in various places to create slope and surface shape.
The Inlet
Pipe Inlet
Channel Inlet
1

2

3

3





The pond is the depression in the earths surface just downstream of the inlet. The defining
feature of a retention pond is the permanent pool kept in the bottom of the pond. This pool
may be designed to provide water for livestock or crop application, fire control, wetland
creation, and/or sediment removal, but the pond area as a whole has two functions.

Hold excess runoff: Storm-water
runoff enters the pond at an increased
rate through the inlet. The goal is to
reduce this flow to the rate that
existed before development. To do
this, a portion of the entering volume Figure 4: Retention Pond Cross Section
is held in the pond over a period of
time so that the exiting flow rate
matches pre-development conditions.
Because there is a permanent pool at
the bottom of the pond, this excess
runoff volume is built into the area
above the pool as seen in Figure 4.

Permanently store water: Herein
lies the difference between the
retention pond and the detention
pond. The retention pond always
contains a volume of water (solid blue Source: St. Johns River Water Management District. sjrwmd.com
portion of Figure 4), where as the
detention pond contains no water
between rainfall events. Thus
retention ponds are often called wet
ponds and detention ponds are called
dry ponds.

Although there are many reasons for maintaining a permanent pool, the most common
reason is sediment removal. In residential areas, storm-water runoff picks up heavy metals
from vehicles on roadways, sediments from gardening or landscaping, detergents from
washing vehicles, and other common pollutants. Once suspended in the flow, it takes time
and calm conditions for sediments and pollutants to fall back out. By creating a permanent
pool, there is longer residence time
4
and reduced turbulence
5
, allowing particles to settle to
the bottom as seen in Figure 4. The result is cleaner downstream water.


4
Residence time is the time a portion of water spends in the pond before leaving.
5
Turbulence refers to mixing or agitation of fluid.
The Pond
Excess Runoff
Volume
4





The outlet is the most critical feature of the retention pond, creating the permanent pool and
controlling discharge flow rates. The outlet consists of the Principal Outlet Structure and the
Emergency Spillway.

Principal Outlet Structure: This Figure 5: Principal Outlet
structure is responsible for controlling
the discharge of storm-water out of
the pond. The principal outlet can be
made with a variety of materials and
configurations, but typically metal
pipes or concrete boxes are used.
However, the key components are the
orifices (holes) through which water
exits the pond.

The orifices are specially shaped and
sized to control flows from storms of
various intensity. Scientists categorize
storm intensity based on probability
of occurrence and duration. For
example, a small shower with the
probability of occurring once every
two years is called the 2-year storm. Source: Clemson University Cooperative Extension. clemson.edu
The 100-year storm is more of a rare
downpour. For most pond designs, the amount of rain that falls in a 24-hour period is
considered. As storm intensity increases, the flow and the level of water in the pond
increases. Therefore, the orifice for the 2-year 24-hour storm is found at the bottom of the
principal spillway (circular hole seen in Figure 5), while the orifice for the 100-year 24-hour
storm is found at the top (square storm grate seen in Figure 5).

In a retention pond, the lowest orifice is also responsible for creating the permanent pool.
Although the circular orifice in Figure 5 is the lowest orifice, it is not set at the very bottom
of the pond. By doing this, any water below this orifice will always remain in the pond.
When storm-water enters the pond, the water level will increase to the appropriate orifices
for discharge. In a detention pond, the lowest orifice is set at the bottom of the pond so
that no water is permanently stored.






The Outlet
5



Emergency Spillway: This structure is Figure 6: Emergency Spillway
a cut-out in the pond embankment
(wall) that protects the pond and its
surroundings. If the principal outlet
structure were to become clogged or
malfunction, a large amount of water
would build up in the pond. This puts
dangerous pressure on the walls of
the pond, especially any downstream
embankments that may be acting as a
dam. To prevent the pond from
overflowing or the embankments from
failing, the emergency spillway is cut
into an embankment to allow any Source: University of Guelph, CAN. soe.uoguelph.ca
water above the 100-year 24-hour
storm level to safely exit the pond. As an added safety, the emergency spillway is also made
large enough to pass the 500-year 24-hour storm. In Figure 6, the emergency spillway is
built out of concrete, but it can exist as depression in the embankment or rock-lined
channel.



Storm-water retention ponds are Figure 7: Complete Retention Pond
becoming a common site in our
communities. Their three major
components work together to reduce the
negative impacts of land development.
Storm water is first harnessed and
brought to the pond through the inlet. As
water then enters the pond, some volume
is stored temporarily and some is stored
permanently to attenuate flows and
remove pollutants. The water levels in the
pond are determined by the outlet
structure which regulates discharge flow
rates. In the end, managed flow rates
prevent soil erosion and flooding, while
the permanent pool keeps streams
cleaner. Source: Golden Valley Public Works. goldenvalleymn.gov





Conclusion
6





Figure 1: Neighborhood Storm-Water Retention Pond. Digital image.
Beaumont Ridge Homeowners Association. Web. <beaumontridge.com>.

Figure 2: (cropped, labels added) Retention Pond Features. Digital image.
The Storm Water Detention or Retention Pond - Why is It Needed?.
Bright Hub Engineering. Web. <brighthubengineering.com>.

Figure 3: (cropped, labels added) Retention Pond Inlets. Digital image. J & D Civil Engineers.
Web. <jdcivilengineers.com>.

Figure 4: (cropped, relabeled) Retention Pond Cross Section. Digital image.
Types of stormwater systems and how they work. St. Johns River Water Management District.
Web. <sjrwmd.com>.

Figure 5: Principal Outlet. Digital image.
Stormwater Pond Design, Construction, and Sedimentation. Clemson University Cooperative
Extension. Web. <clemson.edu>.

Figure 6: Emergency Spillway. Digital image.
Dr. Pitt. Module 9 Sedimentation and Pond Storage. University of Guelph, CAN. Web.
<soe.uoguelph.ca>.

Figure 7: Complete Retention Pond. Digital image.
Ponding. Golden Valley Public Works. Web. <goldenvalleymn.gov>.

Works Cited